Using a mobile phone while driving
by Fiona Taylor
Are your drivers using their mobile phone while driving?
A recent police crackdown on mobile phone usage behind the wheel has caught the highest ever number of offenders. The week long campaign saw 7,966 mobile phone offences detected. This is up more than 3 times on the figure of 2,323 offences from a previous campaign in May 2016.
The figures were released by National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) as it announced the launch of a new campaign to target drivers using mobile phones. The campaign runs from Monday 23rd January to Sunday 29th January. It will see police forces run operations and campaigns in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It will include targeted patrols using unmarked vans, high vantage points and helmet cams to catch offenders.
NPCC lead for roads policing, chief constable Suzette Davenport said: “Encouraging results from last year’s campaign against mobile phone use show how effective new tactics and innovative approaches can be. Officers will continue to use intelligence-led tactics to target police activity and resources and catch repeat offenders.
“Forces will be working throughout the year to tackle this behaviour by motorists with national partners and the public.”
Would mobile phone blocking help?
The majority of drivers would support the use of technology to disable certain phone functions.
- Of the 1000 motorists surveyed, 66% said that the government should introduce some technology. A technology to support a blanket ban of the use of mobile phones behind the wheel.
- However, the survey uncovered that 11.3 million road users admit to using a mobile phone illegally. With 31% saying that they had done so in the last month.
- While 46% admitted they think it is acceptable to look at their phone while stopped or in slow moving traffic.
- 45% admitted that they struggle to be digitally disconnected. 28% said so many people now check their mobile phone in traffic that it has become normalised.
Professor John Groeger, a specialist in driver psychology, commented “It is really interesting that motorists want an enforced solution rather than to curb their own behaviour. The time it takes us to shift our concentration from a task like reading a text to again fully engaging in driving is so important in reducing accidents.”
What do you think? Do you use your mobile phone while you are driving? Leave us a comment below about your thoughts.
*Info taken from Fleetworld
Fiona Taylor
Fiona Taylor is the Sales Manager at award winning Satmo Vehicle Tracking. If you feel you need help with your fleet, want to gain back control, save some money and time then please get in touch.
